The International Students’ Committee hosted a flag parade on Friday, 14th November, in the Students’ Union, as part of their World Week event.
Students were invited to participate in a parade around the SU, waving flags from their respective countries. The Flute Choir Society and Samba Band accompanied the parade with music.
Events Officer Lynn Yee said, “Due to unforeseen weather circumstances, we had to move into the SU, but I still think that it went really well. People were recording us while we were waving our flags, people were smiling, and that’s our goal.
“Our main goal as ISC is to represent international students at the University of Sheffield and to make everyone feel at home.”
Students participating in the parade, representing countries such as Ukraine and Brunei, emphasised the importance of celebrating their cultures and coming together to learn about one another.
Other Events Officer, Diya Shah, added: “I think it’s important to hold events like these. It’s mainly to make a statement that our university is proud to be an international institution.
“Almost one quarter of our student community is international, so It’s very important that we give them a stage where they can represent their own cultures, and we have a space where everyone feels comfortable to just be themselves and share about their cultures and learn about new cultures.”
During their World Week event, the committee organised a range of activities, including a movie night featuring short films from different cultures and a crafting session to create banners for the parade. They also held a volleyball match, which drew over 40 participants.
The Events Officers said they felt it was important to hold the events amid issues surrounding international students’ policies, and after the UKIP-led protest in Sheffield last week, in order to make international students feel welcome.
Lynn said: “A lot of people feel, I guess, not as welcomed anymore. And we don’t want them to feel like that, because we’re also here, right?”
Diya continued: “We just hope that we can put out there that you’re not alone, you’re supported, and we welcome you with all our love.”
